Expeditions
What to expect on a NOLS expedition
From the moment you arrive in the wilderness, the course is your own. Your group will learn to live and thrive together, with NOLS instructors as your mentors.
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Educators, not guides, meeting you at your level
At NOLS, we're here to be educators. That means our instructors are experts at meeting students at their own skill and comfort level, so first-time campers and experienced outdoorspeople alike find opportunities to grow, gain skills, and build community.
From the moment you arrive in the wilderness, the course is your own. The wilderness is a dynamic place. Every day will present new challenges and excitement. You and your group will learn to live and thrive together, with your instructors as your mentors.
A typical day
The rhythm of an expedition day
No two NOLS days are the same, but the rhythm of camp, travel, and learning shapes the experience.
1
Wake & breakfast
Sunrise above treeline or mist in a valley. Stoves fire up, and you'll make a delicious breakfast to start the day. You'll start planning the day's route together.
2
Pack up camp
Tents down, packs on, and packing up camp using leave no trace principles. Efficient camp management is one of the first leadership skills you'll build.
3
Travel
Ridgelines, river canyons, coastlines - whatever environment you're in you'll navigate, route-find, make decisions, and travel as a team. Each day, you will take turns filling different roles to practice leadership skills.
4
Make camp
Pick a site, pitch a shelter, get water. You'll share camp chores with your course mates, setting up camp each day. You'll also debrief the day with your instructors to make the most of your learning during the day.
5
Dinner together
Backcountry dinners are a community event. Cooking together is one of the most important parts of NOLS. You'll learn how to make nutritious, filling meals in the backcountry. A NOLS favorite is making pizza on a camp stove.
6
Lessons
Classes on navigation, weather, leadership, environmental studies, or first aid are woven in throughout the day. You may have a class before leaving camping, on the trail, or during evening meeting. While we do have formal classes, much of the learning happens experientially by practicing skills.
7
Evening meeting
Evening meetings are a time to gather, reflect, play games, have classes, and connect about the next day.
8
Sleep under stars
Stars, quiet, and a hard-earned night of sleep. Once you've organized everything in camp, it's time to curl up in your sleeping bag and dream about where you'll go tomorrow.
Learn from the best
Wilderness experts and compassionate mentors
NOLS instructors are field-based educators who bring passion for the outdoors, training in leadership, risk management, and cultural competence to every course.
Expert Educators
NOLS instructors are intentional teachers who specialize in meeting students at their level and helping them grow.
Compassionate Mentors
NOLS instructors are committed to your wellbeing and success. They create a safe space to try new things and learn from mistakes.
Risk Management
NOLS instructors are highly trained in wilderness risk management and first aid.
Cultural Competence
Abroad, NOLS instructors are often local citizens, facilitating a deeper connection to the area and its culture.
Community in the wild
Wild country across five continents
NOLS expeditions run in some of the most remote and stunning landscapes on earth, the Wind River Range, Patagonia, the Himalaya, East Africa, Baja, and more. Each location is chosen for the educational experience it offers, not for comfort.
You won't find roads, cell service, or shortcuts. You will find the kind of focused learning that only comes when the wilderness sets the agenda.
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